Daily Bible Reading Plans

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Recognizing the value of consistent reflection upon the Word of God in order to refocus one’s mind and heart upon Christ and His Gospel of peace, we provide several reading plans designed to cover the entire Bible in a year.

Chuck Smith :: Sermon Notes for Matthew 7:2

Intro. We are under the general heading of "Judge not lest you be judged." We have seen that Jesus is not saying that we should not be discerning, for in a few sentences He will be telling them to not cast their pearls before swine. It is more of the critical spirit that Jesus is making a reference to. Often in our minds, there are some people that we think can do no good. If they do something that is good, we are sure that they had the wrong motives, and I am prone to be critical of their motives.

I. REASONS WE ARE NOT TO JUDGE.

A. We are setting the standard by which we will be judged.

1. If I judge and condemn a person for something he has done, it only indicates that I know that his action is wrong. I am thus setting the measuring stick for how I will be judged. I cannot plead ignorance of the law.

3. So often the very thing that I am judging in another is something of which I am guilty myself. Just put it in a different light.

a. When Nathan came to David concerning his sin with Bathsheba, he just changed the story slightly.

b. It is interesting that God's judgment upon David was not nearly as severe as what David announced upon the man.

c. But David did not get off scott free. Nathan said to David:

2SA 12:7 And Nathan said to David, Thou [art] the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;

2SA 12:8 And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if [that had been] too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.

2SA 12:9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife [to be] thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.

2SA 12:10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.

2SA 12:11 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give [them] unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.

2SA 12:12 For thou didst [it] secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.

2SA 12:13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.

ROM 2:21 You who teach others, do you not teach yourself? you that preach that a man should not steal, do you steal?

ROM 2:22 You that say a man should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? you who abhor idols, do you commit sacrilege?

ROM 2:23 You that make your boast of the law, through breaking the law do you not dishonor God?

ROM 2:24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.

5. The scripture indicates that a man will be judged according to the light that he has been given. Jesus taught:

LUK 12:47 And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not [himself], neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many [stripes].

LUK 12:48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few [stripes]. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

JOH 9:41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

JOH 15:22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin.

2PE 2:21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known [it], to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

B. You set the standard and measuring stick by which God will one day judge you.

1. If you are merciful, God will be merciful to you. "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy."

b. When Isaiah saw the Lord high and lifted up with His glory filling the Temple, then Isaiah said, "Woe is me for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell among a people of unclean lips. He became conscious of his own sin. There are many whose language is not pure, they get in a habit of filthy language, they need to see the Lord.

c. When Daniel saw the visions from the Lord he said: My comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength.

d. When Peter saw the power of Jesus manifested in the great catch of fish, he said:

LUK 5:8 He fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.

B. Once you get the beam out of your own eye, then you will be able to see clearly to remove the speck of dust out of your brother's eye.

1. Do you remember the response of Jesus to those who had brought the woman to Jesus caught in the act of adultery?

2. Let him who is without sin, cast the first stone.

a. The only one there who was qualified to throw a stone refused to do so.

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